I love fall—it’s a great time of year for a picnic! I am excited to invite you to Picnic on the Preserve: A Day in Nature as part of Gathering Waters’ Land Trust Days!

Although this is a FREE event, we ask you to RSVP by Sept 10 so we can plan for our lunch. There will also be activities for the whole family, like guided and self-guided tours, a nature scavenger hunt, hands-on activities and crafts for children, and great conversations with wonderful people.

In this issue, I am pleased to recognize conservation leaders in our community and highlight our first Conservation Superhero, Peter Dargatz. Enjoy reading about Peter and his work with his nature classroom and commitment to our children and environment. He will inspire you.

I am also excited to share our efforts to save the globally imperiled oak ecosystems of Waukesha County. Continue on to learn about our next big acquisition and strong partnership with top scientists and leading conservationists all working to make a impact.

Waukesha County is facing a global problem—oak ecosystems are now one of the rarest plant communities on earth. It is a top priority for WCLC to protect and care for these important natural communities. Oaks provide critical habitat for over 500 species of insects, birds, and wildlife. Without oaks, these species would not have food, shelter, or nesting sites. Species like the red-headed woodpecker are in serious trouble. Its populations have declined by over 68% due to the loss of this important habitat.

There are things that can be done in Waukesha County to help fight this problem. WCLC will be purchasing an 83-acre, oak ecosystem and a rare sedge fen. This will be one of the most important properties WCLC has ever protected.

The property also has state-threatened kittentail plant. According to Kevin Doyle of the Wisconsin DNR, this area of Waukesha County has been identified as the best opportunity for protecting kittentails in the state, and possibly the world!

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In the next month, we will be reaching out to you to ask for your help to purchase this important property. You can help make a global impact by saving this local treasure.

Partnering with Conservation Leaders and Top Scientists

﻿to Save Oak Ecosystems

Conservation leaders from around the region met last Friday to discuss oak recovery efforts and to share best practices for land protection, restoration, and stewardship of oak ecosystems.

Because saving oak ecosystems is a top priority for WCLC, partnering with leading scientists and conservation-minded organizations is essential to leverage and develop best practices based on strong science. Implementing these best practices and partnering with conservation leaders enables us to care for our properties in the best way possible and to maximize the impact of your support.

The Oak Recovery initiative was started by Chicago Wilderness partnering with The Mortem Arboretum and others to save the oak ecosystems in the greater Chicago area. This initiative engaged distinguished researchers and was built on strong scientific methods.

Moving forward, the group will build upon existing efforts and pursue collective outcomes that could be achieved by leveraging the capacity of a broader, regional collaborative.

WCLC's FIRST CONSERVATION SUPERHERO, PETER DARGATZ

Developing Our Young Conservationalists

If you would like to stay up to date with what he is doing in the classroom, read his blog!

WCLC is proud to name Peter Dargatz as WCLC’s first Conservation Superhero! As a kindergarten teacher at Woodside Elementary, Peter is doing incredible things to share his love of the outdoors with our future environmental leaders!

He and his students spend time outdoors daily learning about different plants, animals, and Mother Nature. The kids normally complete at least one full lesson outside, in addition to exploring a small oak opening near the school during recess and free time. The students also complete service projects and help remove invasive species such as garlic mustard.

The program has been so successful that the model has been adopted by the other kindergarten classes in his school, and he has had the chance to collaborate with Retzer Nature Center to give the students new opportunities.

Peter’s work is incredibly important not only because it gives kids the chance to connect with nature, but also because oak savannas and oak woodlands are important. He has been able pass this appreciation and love for the environment to his own kids by involving them with his Tyke Hikes with the Ice Age Trail Alliance.